5 Nutrition Tips for the Winter

#1. Don’t over-sanitize.
We are one clean culture..and that’s not always a good thing. Obsession with avoiding bacteria and viruses (salmonella, wisteria, E. Coli, etc.) has led manufacturers to include anti-bacterial chemicals in everything from socks to dish towels to blankets. The most commonly used product is anti-bacterial hand soap, however. What we don’t realize is that we are killing our immune systems with this hyper-sanitation. Bacteria is not the enemy; a strong immune system is built to handle just about anything we humans can throw at it..and we do throw some junk! So opt for a simple, bare bones hand soap with aloe or an essential oil from the health food store. Don’t Lysol your house to death, either. A good essential oil-based surface cleaner or air spray is more effective (look for Tea Tree, oregano or lemon oils). And for goodness sake! Don’t buy antibiotic socks!

#2. Gesundheit! - Skip the salad bar; cook at home.
The reasons are two-fold. 1). This time of year is rife with sniffles, sneezes and coughs. It also happens to be a busy time for eating establishments as out of town guests and busy schedules drive people out of their own kitchens. That combination and a flimsy piece of “protective” gear called a sneeze guard add up to trouble. Ever had the experience of minding your own plate at the salad bar when suddenly down the line you hear a raucous sneeze or hacking cough? How protected do you feel when you look at that piece of plastic barely covering the food? Forget the salad bar; opt for including greens and raw veggies in your daily diet at home. 2). It’s winter and we really shouldn’t be eating fresh green salads anyway. While holiday indulgences may bring renewed interest in slimming salads, they are not the way back to balance in the middle of winter. It’s important to try to eat according to the rhythm of the seasons as much as we can. Lots of raw, cold salad fixings meant to cool the system in warmer months can cause conflict and constriction in internal organs. The same goes for cold drinks like iced tea or even ice water and all sodas. Opt for high-fiber winter foods like root veggies (sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots), beans & whole grains & seeds (barley, oats, flax).

#3. Don’t forget to drink.
Water, that is. In Chinese medicine, winter is considered a dry season and requires extra hydration and special attention to prevent issues like eczema, dry coughs and irritated mucous membranes. In practical terms, rain is wetter than snow, so all that white out there isn’t contributing much moisture to our air. Add to that lots of time spent indoors in dry, heated air and the ice melt spread liberally throughout the city and it’s hard not to feel the effects. Increased muscle tension, spasms, headaches, coughs, sore throats, and even fevers are often brought on initially by these conditions. It’s only after they’re allowed to mature that they become viral/bacterial. So, how can we compensate? Make sure you are drinking just as much pure water as you would during warm months. Don’t overheat your home. Keep a humidifier/vaporizer in your bedroom. Take extra minerals (calcium/magnesium/Zinc) to counter the astringent actions of the ice melt on the roads.

#4. Oregano isn’t just a spice.
Once you feel that cold coming on, oregano can be your best friend. In addition to being a foundational ingredient for yummy Mediterranean dishes, oregano is a highly potent anti-microbial agent. It is especially effective for respiratory issues (coughs & sinus infections) and yeast/Candida overgrowth – two of the most common ills during and after the holiday season. In my experience, it is much more effective and agreeable for a compromised immune system than Echinacea. Look for it in its most natural form – liquid herbal extract by Gaia or Herb Pharm is ideal, however liquid-containing capsules are available from Gaia and are just as effective. If you have fresh oregano in the kitchen, use it as much as you can in cooking; essential oil of oregano can also be found at many health food stores (apply a drop or two to bottoms of feet or pulse points, put in a diffuser or inhale right out of the bottle).

#5. Emotional health.
This is usually the last remedy we reach for in caring for ourselves. This can be a big mistake, for some the only mistake we make in our healthcare. I’ve had many clients who followed every piece of sound health advice, used every natural remedy and ate organic whole foods like they were going extinct and yet suffered the same cough and cold combo as their neighbor. What gives? Remember that hurtful comment made by a family member at the holiday gathering? If you held your tongue and swallowed your anger, it may just now be surfacing in the form of a sore throat (anger is rough going down) or cough (barking at the world). There are a million emotional/physical combos here – the point is only you can investigate what yours may be. Stress, as generic a term as it is, will always be a major factor in how your physical body handles bacterial/viral attacks. So before you get the sniffles, take stock of current emotional stressors and spiritual drains and make the appropriate adjustments. The payoff is big!